DIY Picasso-Inspired Portraits

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a Master of the Arts draw a portrait for you? Well wonder no more, my friends, because there’s a Picasso in all of us, just waiting for us to close our eyes and let the talent burst right out. Literally!

These little portraits were incredibly easy to make. So easy, in fact, that children could make them, so this is a family-friendly project that is sure to bring about some laughs, and you’re left with artwork in the end. Win-win!

Unleash Your Hidden Creativity

Pretty simple, right? If you want to play it safe, start with a pencil, but I say go right for the Marker or pen. A fine tip might be best if you’re working with small portraits, like I was. I also happened to be home alone with my pup when I made this, so I used photos of myself and my husband to get the family portraits. If my dog could sit still for more than 3 seconds, I would have used him as a model, but he’s pretty much like a toddler, so a photo was used for his portrait too. I just used the photos on my phone, so this was super simple!

Here are the instructions for creating your masterpiece. Look at the photo or person you are drawing. Do Not Look At Your Paper! Draw what you see and also do not lift your pen from the page.

Sounds easy? Sure. Here are some of my attempts…

Believe me, there were more atrocious portraits other than those gems you see up there, like my dog on stilts (?) or me with one eye growing on top of the other. We want Picasso, not crazy!

It’s All About The Packaging!

Once you have picked your faves, figure out how you’d like to display them. I had some 3×3 inch frames sitting around the house that I found while thrifting for about 30 cents each, and that’s why my portraits look so small.

I love that the portraits are so ornate-looking in their miniature sizes! To fit the portraits into these, I took the glass off of one frame and traced the shape around all of the drawings.

This gives you the perfect opportunity to see how your image will be framed and get the perfect sizing all at once. It doesn’t get much easier!

Next, cut your precious artwork!

Now frame, hang, and admire your masterpieces! I have to tell you, I was tempted to keep going with these because they are so much fun to make and WAY more fun when you don’t make them by yourself, like I did!

The Joy of Gifting!

These would make great gifts for your family, don’t you think? Imagine a Picasso-inspired family tree! Oh great, now I want to make one of those, too!

Get creative with the way you hang these.

They look so great as a grouping, as you might see artwork in an art gallery. Now you can have your own! The beauty of these is that you can try them as small or as large as you want.

This one is my favorite. I love the exaggerated chin and the eyes being different sizes!

And don’t even get me started on the possibility of coloring some! This is art, so don’t be afraid to get creative and think outside the box a little – kind of like our man Picasso did back in the day!

Here’s the full tutorial in photos for all you visual people!

I just had one more thought: these could also be some pretty awesome and unique housewarming gifts! Artwork is always a lovely gift, and if it’s made by the giver, it’s that much more special, right? So are you willing to close your eyes, let loose, and see what masterpiece you can create?

What do you think?

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